The purpose of this role will be to build an IVC-ready early-stage product innovation function that improves how the RD organization selects ingredients, evaluates suppliers, generates clinical support and substantiates claims, designs feasible formulas, and converts scientific opportunities into manufacturable, commercially viable products. Cover actives, botanicals, minerals, probiotics, heat/moisture-sensitive ingredients, encapsulation/protection systems, coatings, smart-release technologies, taste masking, sweetener and sugar-free systems, bioavailability technologies, clean-label/sustainability alternatives, cost-optimized excipients, and packaging-sensitive ingredients.